Healthy Living Recipes

Deb Morgan: December brings cool weather and celebrations of all kinds. There’s no better time to celebrate the wonder of friendship and family—and what better way to say “thank you” and “I love you” than with a special loaf of delicious bread? If the recipient happens to be following a gluten-free diet, then I guarantee a loaf of our gluten-free cinnamon-raisin bread will be a most cherished gift this year! Whether you choose to give these breads as gifts or just enjoy them with your family at home, I hope you all have a lovely holiday season and a very happy New Year.

Buckwheat, a plant native to Siberia and related to rhubarb, is an exceptional source of magnesium, the antioxidant rutin, and the phytonutrient chiro inositol. Most Americans consume only a fraction of the magnesium they need each day, and this widespread deficiency contributes to high blood pressure, higher levels of heart disease, and a reduced ability to detoxify our blood. Chiro inositol stabilizes blood sugar levels-its ability to mimic the role of insulin helps lower blood sugar and provides more gradual blood sugar changes. Another benefit of buckwheat for people with dietary restrictions is that it's gluten free.

As for cardamom, in the Feb 12, 2008, issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, a study revealed what has been known for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and areas of Asia: that cardamom helps with digestion and lowers blood pressure. Researchers gave laboratory animals crude cardamom extract in moderate doses and observed significant changes in the animals' ability to tolerate changes in diet with reduced stress and a lower systolic blood pressure. Cardamom has most commonly been used in Indian culture as a digestive aid.